TEST YOURSELF: How well do you know your road signs?

Driver knowledge in the UK appears to be heading in the wrong direction after a study found more than 80 per cent of motorists don’t know basic road rules and signs.

Worryingly, more than a third of those tested for the ingenie poll couldn’t even reach the 50 per cent pass mark for the test.

The test set up by the young driver insurance brand aimed to see how well both experienced and new drivers know the rules of the road. It used a selection of questions taken directly from the current theory test and found that only 18 per cent could correctly answer every question.

The insurer has also released a video of two experienced drivers struggling with basic Highway Code questions showing how even those with years behind the wheel struggle with basic road knowledge. The firm says the results of its tests show that by improving driving-related education at an early age road safety knowledge could be significantly improved.

Ingenie is calling for schools to teach the Highway Code, driving theory and hazard perception techniques to better prepare their pupils for a lifetime behind the wheel.

Richard King, ingenie CEO, said: “It’s worrying that even experienced drivers aren’t showing basic Highway Code knowledge, which every driver should have to keep themselves and other road users safe. If schools introduce the Highway Code and hazard perception to pupils before they even reach driving age, we can build an entire generation of better, safer drivers.”

As a result of the findings, ingenie is urging parents and schools to adopt the online training resource Drive iQ. The teach tool has already been adopted in 1,300 schools for 15 and 16-year-olds, enabling the improvement of their awareness and hazard recognition across numerous engaging modules. The modules are also easy to do at home.